How to take care of your teeth

Make your teeth last for a lifetime

You should be thankful because nowadays, there are better at-home care and in-office dental treatments that allow you to keep your teeth for the rest of your life. There are some diseases and conditions that make dental disease and tooth loss more likely but most of us have a great deal of control whether we keep our teeth until our senior years.

One of the most important things to maintain your teeth and keep them healthy is to brush twice a day and floss on a daily basis.

Most of the dental problems encountered by people are caused by plaque. Plaque is that sticky layer of microorganisms made up of food particles and other organic matter. They stick to your teeth. The bacteria in plaque produce acids that cause cavities to form. Plaque may also lead to periodontal disease. This is a potentially serious infection that can cause your bone to erode and damage the tissues surrounding your teeth.

The best defence to remove plaque is to remove it daily and prevent it from building up. Brushing your teeth on a daily basis will remove plaque from the large surfaces of the teeth. If this is done correctly, it can even remove plaque from just under the gums. Flossing can remove plaque between the teeth.

Brushing your teeth

Almost everyone has learned how to brush their teeth when they were children. They have kept their same brushing technique ever since they were children. Unfortunately, not everyone learns the proper way of brushing their teeth. Moreover, even if you have learned the right method of brushing your teeth, you can tend to become sloppy over the years. The correct way of brushing is not built in your instinct. You must be able to get the bristles to remove plaque without damaging your gums. This is a very tricky process.

There are different ways of brushing your teeth and you may ask your dentist or dental hygienist for the right way to brush. They can show you the most appropriate method that is best for you. One of the most popular brushing techniques is the modified Bass technique. This is very effective in removing plaque above and below the gum line. Children may find it difficult to move the toothbrush in this way. Your child's dentist will be able to explain to you children the best way they can brush. Parents must supervise their children's oral hygiene up to ages nine or ten.

Here are some general pointers that you may use when you brush your teeth

You must brush your teeth at least twice a day. A lot of oral health professionals will recommend that you brush your teeth right before you go to bed. When you sleep, your saliva decreases. This will make your teeth more vulnerable to bacterial acids. Teeth must be brushed in the morning either before or after breakfast, depending on your schedule. It is ideal to brush after breakfast so the food particles can be washed off right away. If you are going to eat in your car, at work, or skip breakfast then you must brush in the morning so that you get rid of all the plaque that has built up on the previous night.
Do not brush more than three times a day. Brushing your teeth after lunch will give you a good middle day cleaning but you should not brush too often because you gums may recede faster then normal.
Brush your teeth lightly. If you brush your teeth too hard then you will increase the chances of your gums receding. Plaque attaches to your teeth in the same way jam sticks to a spoon. It can not be totally removed through rinsing but with light brushing, it can be rid of. When plaque has hardened into tartar or calculus, it can not be removed by brushing. Brushing harder will not help. You should try holding your toothbrush like a pen. This will encourage lighter strokes.
You must brush your teeth for at least two minutes. If you need to set a timer for brushing teeth then do so but you should not skip your brushing times. Brushing your teeth for longer periods is better. You'll need a minimum of around two minutes to adequately cleanse all your teeth. People use the length of a song over the radio as a timer for brushing. This acts as a good reminder to brush each tooth as thoroughly as possible.
You must have a standard routine for brushing. You must try to brush your teeth in the same order everyday. Oral health professionals think that this will help patients remember to brush all the areas of their mouths. If you do these things routinely then it will eventually become part of your nature. For instance, you can brush your teeth from left to right across the top then move to the inside and brush your teeth from right to left. You can then repeat the pattern for your lower teeth.
Always use a toothbrush that has soft bristles. If you have hard toothbrushes then you will increase the risk of harming your gum tissues.
You must change your toothbrush regularly. When the bristles of your toothbrush begin to splay, they lose their ability to clean properly. You can throw away your old toothbrush after three months or when the bristles begin to flare depending on whichever comes first. If your bristles are flaring up before three months then you may be brushing too hard. In this case, try brushing a little bit lighter than usual.
Get a toothbrush that has the seal of approval from the American Dental Association. Oral healthcare professionals say that it is not the brush but the brusher. The type of brush you use isn't as important as your technique in brushing. Any approved brush makes an excellent tool but you must know how to use it properly.
You can use electric toothbrushes although they are not necessary. Electric or power-assisted toothbrushes are a fine alternative to manual toothbrushes. They are useful for people who are less than diligent about proper brushing techniques. They are also very useful for people with physical limitations that make brushing difficult. With manual brushes, make sure that you choose the ones with the soft bristles. You must brush your teeth for at least two minutes and make sure not to press too hard. You will damage your gums if you press on them too hard.
You must choose the right toothpaste for you. You may be overwhelmed when you are presented with a huge number of toothpaste choices in the supermarket. You must remember that the best toothpaste for you isn't necessarily the best toothpaste for somebody else.

Toothpastes nowadays aren't merely used to clean teeth. They have a variety of other ingredients that serve other purposes. Different types of ingredients are used to prevent tooth decay, control plaque, control tartar, promote tooth whitening, provide gum care, or desensitize your teeth.

Most of the toothpastes in the market today have fluoride. This has been proven to prevent, stop, or even reverse tooth decay. Tartar control toothpastes are ideal for people who tend to build tartar quickly in their mouth. Tooth whitening toothpastes are ideal for people who have tooth stains. These whitening toothpastes are only useful for removing surface stains. If your teeth are stained more deeply then you must talk to your dentist.

Your dental needs will change as you get older. You should not be surprised if your hygienist recommends the type of toothpaste you haven't used before. Look for the ADA seal of approval on these products in order to ensure that the toothpaste has met the standards set by the American Dental Association. When these conditions are met, you can select from the different toothpastes that taste and feel the best. You can choose from gel or paste, wintergreen or spearmint, or from many other choices out there. Allow your personal preference to guide your decision.

There are some people out there that find that there are toothpaste ingredients that irritate their teeth, cheeks, or lips. If your teeth have become more sensitive or if your mouth becomes irritated after brushing then you should consider changing toothpastes. If the problem continues then you must see your dentist.

How should you brush your teeth?

Here is the modified Bass brushing technique

hold your toothbrush horizontally against your teeth so that the bristles part way on the gums
tilt the toothbrush head to a forty five degree angle so that the bristles are pointing right under the gum line
move the toothbrush in short horizontal strokes so that the tips of the bristles stay in one place while the head of the toothbrush moves back and forth. Use tiny circular motions here. This will allow the bristles to slide gently under the gums. You should do this for about twenty strokes. It assures that adequate time is spent cleaning as much plaque as possible. Take note that this must be done in very gentle motions. With healthy gums, this should not cause any pain. If you brush too vigorously or with large strokes then you can damage your gums
you must roll or flick the brush so that the bristles move out from under the gum towards the biting edge of the tooth. This will help move the plaque out from under the gum line
repeat this process for every tooth so that all the tooth surfaces and gum lines are cleaned
for the insides of your front teeth, the horizontal brush position is cumbersome so hold the brush vertically instead. Use a gentle back and forth brushing action and finish it with a roll or flick of the brush in the direction of the biting edge
in order to clean the biting or chewing surfaces of the teeth, you must hold the brush so that the bristles are straight down on the flat surfaces of the molars
you must move the toothbrush back and forth in tiny circles in order to clean the entire surface. Move to a new tooth or area until all the teeth are clean
rinse your mouth with water so that all the food residue and plaque is discarded
you can clear more bacteria out of your mouth when you brush your tongue. With your toothbrush, you must brush firmly but gently from the back to the front. Do not go too far back in your mouth so that you will not gag. Rinse your mouth after brushing your tongue

How should you floss your teeth?

As children, not many people out there learned how to floss. Flossing is critical to maintaining healthy gums and it is never too late to start learning. A common rule of thumb says that any difficult new habit will become second nature after a period of three weeks. If you are having a hard time figuring out what to do then you can simply ask your dentist or your dental hygienist to provide you with a personal lesson.

Here are some of the general guidelines you can follow on flossing

floss once every day. There is no research that supports the optimal number of times to floss in day although most dentists will recommend that you floss everyday anyway. If there is a tendency for food to get trapped between your teeth then flossing more often can help you get rid of it
take your time when you floss. Flossing requires a certain amount of dexterity and thought so you should not rush it
choose your own time to floss. Some people think that flossing before bed is the best time to floss. Any time is a great time to floss as long as you floss properly and provide ample time for it. You must choose a time during your normal daily routine when you are not in a hurry so that you can give the right amount of concentration on your teeth when you floss
do not skimp on the floss. You must use as much floss as necessary in order to clean both of the sides of your teeth. If you need to get a new section of floss then do so. In some instances, you may even need to floss one tooth several times. Some fresh sections of floss may have to be used to remove all the food and debris in your mouth. Although there is no conclusive evidence, dental professionals think that reusing sections of floss may redistribute bacteria pulled off from one tooth and transfer it to another tooth
choose the type of floss that works best for you. There are several different types of floss. There is the waxed and the un-waxed, the flavoured and the unflavoured, the ribbon and the thread. You should try different varieties before settling on one. People with teeth that are closely spaced will find that waxed floss slides more easily into the tighter spaces between the teeth. There are also tougher shred-resistant varieties that work well for people with roughly edged teeth that tend to catch and rip the floss apart

How should you floss?

The way you floss is a matter of personal preference. The most common methods of flossing is to wind the floss around the middle fingers and then pull it tight and guide it with your index fingers. A variation from this is to wind the floss around your index fingers and guide it with your thumb and middle fingers. Sometimes you can simply hold the ends of the floss or use a floss guiding tool. For those with fixed bridges, a bridge threader can help guide the floss under the bridge for better cleaning. The way you hold the thread is not as important as how you floss. If you are having difficult settling with a specific method then you should simply ask your dentist or your hygienist for suggestions. Here are some suggestions that may be given to you

hold the floss in such a way that there is a short segment that you can work with
guide the floss gently between two teeth and make sure that you do not snap the floss in or you will cut your gums. Use a back and forth motion to work the floss in the narrow spots
hold the floss around the front and back of one tooth and make it into a "C" shape. This will wrap the floss around the sides and edges of the tooth
gently move the floss toward the base of the tooth. Guide it up into the space between the tooth and the gums
move the floss up and down with light to firm pressure. This will skim off plaque in that area. Make sure that you do not press too hard or you will injure your gums
repeat this for all the sides of your teeth including the outermost sides of the last tooth. Advance the floss to a clean segment for every tooth edge

What are some of the other ways to clean between your teeth?

A lot of people out there have larger spaces between their teeth. They need additional tools called interdental cleaners. These devices will remove food particles and bacterial plaque sufficiently. If you have larger spaces in your teeth that need extra care then these interdental cleaners will come in handy. These larger spaces may be caused by gum surgery or teeth that are missing or simply misaligned.

Small interdental brushes are tiny bristle or filament brushes that can fit between your teeth. They come in a variety of sizes and handle designs. These brushes clean better than floss especially when the gum tissue is unable to fill in the space between your teeth. The little brushes will help people with orthodontic bands on their teeth. This will remove bacterial plaque from around the wires and the brackets.

One of the other tools used for cleaning between the teeth is the wooden interdental cleaner. These are long, triangular strips of wood that can be softened and used to clean areas between the teeth. You can find these interdental cleaners at most of the drugstores and groceries. Your dentist or your dental hygienist will be able to show you how to use these cleaners in order to remove plaque between your teeth.

What are some of the other cleaning tools for your teeth?

In order to supplement your home brushing and flossing, your dentist of dental hygienist may recommend one or more of the following cleaning tools

oral irrigators - these are electrical devices that pump out water in a slim steady or pulsating stream. They may not be able to remove plaque that is attached to a tooth well but they are very effective in flushing out the food and the bacteria by-products in periodontal pockets or food and debris caught in orthodontic appliances. These oral irrigators are particularly useful for delivering medication to hard-to-reach areas. For instance, the prescription antibacterial rinses can be sprayed into gum pockets with an oral irrigator. Oral irrigators are merely additions to oral cleansing and should not be thought of as an alternative to brushing and flossing
interdental tips - these are soft, flexible, rubber nibs that are used to clean between the teeth and just under the gum line. Plaque and food debris can be removed by lightly running the tip along the gum line
mouthwashes and rinses - just like toothpaste, your choice of mouthwash will be guided by your personal preference and requirements. Over the counter rinses are available to provide fresher breath, add fluoride, or kill plaque bacteria that cause gingivitis. There are some mouthwashes out there that are designed to loosen plaque before you brush. You can ask your dentist or your dental hygienist to recommend the type of rinse that is best for you. If you need to avoid alcohol then simply read the ingredient labels diligently. A lot of over the counter mouthwashes contain a large amount of alcohol. In other cases, dentists may prescribe stronger fluoride or antibacterial rinse instead